Easy Thai Curry Paste

Richly flavored curry pastes are the haunting hallmark of many Thai dishes -- and there's no reason not to make them at home. That way they're always fresh, and you can control the heat level.

If you have a good blender or mini food processor, in fact, making them is easy. Purists may object, preferring to pound and grind each ingredient in a mortar, just as it's traditionally done in Thailand. But they won't be eating homemade Thai curries as frequently as you will!

Finding the ingredients is the hardest part. The good news is that fresh and dried chiles, fresh galangal and lemon grass are now available year round in Bay Area Asian markets and specialty produce shops.

(Two commonly used items -- kaffir lime rind and its leaves -- can be hard to find, although many Asian groceries along Clement Street will have them. The rind is available only in dried form; you'll sometimes find the leaves fresh, but more often they'll be dried or frozen. You can also use regular lime zest and leaves as substitutes.)

I like to make Thai curry pastes in large batches, then freeze them in an ice cube tray. After they're frozen, I slip the cubes into resealable plastic bags and return them to the freezer. Each cube is about two tablespoons -- enough to prepare just about any Thai curry dish.

One of the benefits of having Thai curry pastes on hand is playing mix-and-match with non-Asian main ingredients.

I've had successful marriages of curry pastes with American fish such as salmon, striped bass or pompano, and with Western game birds such as quail, Cornish hens and squab.

I also like to use curry pastes in nontraditional ways: Rather than simmering cubes of fish or meat in the paste, I grill whole soft-shell crabs, fish steaks or lamb chops, then serve them Western-style, draped with a Thai curry sauce. The combinations are endless and inspiring.

To make grinding easier, first chop the hard, solid ingredients such as lemon grass, galangal and lime rind before processing or blending. If they are dried, they must be soaked in water for at least 30 minutes, or until soft and pliable, before grinding.

After the paste is machine- ground, I like to give it a few final seconds of pounding in the mortar to smooth out the rough edges and release the oils from the ingredients -- something the blender won't do.

Once the paste is made, you can serve a hot Thai curry dish in a matter of five or 10 minutes of cooking -- a wonderful way to impress drop-in guests.

INSTRUCTIONS: Cut up the chiles and discard the seeds. Soak the chiles in warm water to cover until soft and pliable; drain, reserving soaking liquid.

Soak the dried lime rind (and dried galangal if using) in warm water to cover for about 30 minutes. When soft and pliable, coarsely chop.

Cut off the roots and remove the outer stalks of the lemon grass. Use only the bottom 5 inches of the tender white midsection; chop and set aside.

Toast the coriander, cumin and black pepper in an ungreased skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a spice mill or mortar; grind or pound into a fine powder. Combine with the salt and paprika. Set aside.

Combine the lemon grass, galangal and lime rind in a blender or mini-food processor; chop as fine as possible. Add the chiles and about 1/4 cup of their soaking liquid, the garlic, shallots, cilantro roots, shrimp paste and reserved dry spices. Blend or process into a smooth paste. If the mixture is coarse, transfer it to a mortar and pound it into a smooth paste.

To cook the paste: Put the thick coconut cream into a skillet or saucepan and place over high heat. Stir constantly until it becomes thick and oily, about 3 minutes. Add the paste, reduce heat to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the mixture becomes thick and the oil separates from the paste. The oil should have a red hue. If the mixture becomes too dry, add the additional coconut milk. Yields about 1 cup.

INSTRUCTIONS: Do not shake the can of coconut milk. Open the can and spoon

1/2 cup of the thick "cream" from the top; put it into a wok or saucepan. (If the cream has not separated from the milk, pour into a tall glass container and let sit until the cream rises to the top.) Add the curry paste to the coconut cream and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture becomes aromatic and oily, about 3 minutes. Add the sugar, fish sauce, lime leaves, chiles and the reserved coconut milk; simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the pineapple and basil; simmer until the basil wilts. Reduce heat and keep warm.

Grill the salmon over hot coals until done.

Spoon some of the sauce onto serving plates and top with the fish. Garnish with cilantro. Serve with hot rice. Serves 6.